Canada police lay terrorism-related charges against Alberta youth

CALGARY, Alberta (Reuters) - Canadian police said on Friday they have laid two terrorism-related charges against an Edmonton, Alberta-area youth, with local media reporting he was allegedly seeking to travel to join Islamic State fighters.

The youth, whose name cannot be revealed under Canadian law, has been charged with attempting to leave the country to both participate in a terrorist group and commit an offence that is a terrorist activity, police said in a statement.

The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the young person was arrested without incident on Friday.

The Edmonton Journal reported the suspect was a 17-year-old boy arrested in Beaumont, Alberta, a bedroom community about 20 kilometers (12 miles) south of the provincial capital. The paper said he attempted to leave the country on March 8.

The teen was allegedly trying to leave to fight with the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, CBC reported.

The charges come after six Canadian teens aged 18 to 19 disappeared from Quebec in January and February and are believed to have traveled to join Islamic State.

In December, Canadian police also charged a 15-year-old youth with terrorism-related offences.

Canadian police have stepped up a campaign against radicalization following the incidents and two attacks in Canada last year where soldiers were killed by lone radicals. The government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper is also readying a controversial new anti-terrorism law.